DeMbare to attack from first whistle

Sport
BY FANUEL VIRIRIINSPIRATIONAL Dynamos captain Desmond Maringwa says the Glamour Boys are treating the second leg of the Champions League match against MC Algers tonight as the “second half” of the first leg, when they trounced the Algerians 4-1 at Rufaro a fortnight ago.

The Algerians fancy one of the biggest comebacks in continental football by overturning the big away defeat and record a 3-0 win to sail to the second round of the Champions League.  MC Algers players received a hair dryer treatment from their gaffer Noureddine Zichri at Rufaro and are plotting to turn the tables tonight at the 80 000 seater Stade du 5 Juillet 1962.DeMbare had a feel of the match venue yesterday morning ahead of the match scheduled for 9.30pm Zimbabwean time.

Maringwa, who shone like a beacon in the first leg, said they would be all over MC Algers when the first whistle is blown adding that attack is the best form of defence.

“We will go out and play our normal game, we don’t want a situation where we will sit back and defend because we are bound to make mistakes and be punished. “There is no way you can defend against the North Africans for 90 minutes and get away with it, they will easily punish you. The match we played a fortnight ago in Harare was the first half and we still have another 90 minutes of play so we have to carry on from where we left,” Maringwa said.

The 33-year old Maringwa currently the Glamour Boys’ oldest and most experienced player in the Champions League will lead a cast of young players most whom are having their first dance in the Africa Safari. The young studs such as Denver Mukamba, Tawanda Mparati, Devon Chafa and Thomas Magorimbo have not been overawed by the big stage. DeMbare coach Lloyd Mutasa’s arsenal has also been boosted with the return of Archford Gutu, who missed the first leg due to contractual issues which have been solved.

Maringwa was in the Dynamos team that reached and lost the Caf Champions League final to Asec Mimosa in 1998 and believes the current side exhibits same bite and ambition as that 1998 side if not more.

Gazza rates the current squad highly and says the youthful team has shown extraordinary hunger for success and is strong enough to go further in this competition.

Dynamos have all but themselves to blame if they allow the Algerians to crawl back into the match and put three goals behind their goalkeeper Washington Arubi. But one thing is certain the Glamour Boys have put one leg in the second round were they are likely to play El Merrikh of Sudan away on 24 April before playing the return leg 8 May.